What is the rate limiting step in a chemical reaction?

Question

Wyatt Atkins · Accepted Answer

The rate limiting step is the slowest step of the entire chemical reaction that determines its overall rate.

Here is an analogy for you to better understand.

Imagine driving along a highway and the car in front of you is going at a rate of 100kph. No matter how fast you drive, your rate has been set by the car in front of you, meaning you (ideally) cannot go any faster than 100kph.

Henry Antrim · Answer

undefined The rate-limiting step in a chemical reaction is the slowest step, determining the overall rate of the reaction.

Peyton Adams · Answer

undefined The rate-limiting step in a chemical reaction is the slowest step in the reaction mechanism. It determines the overall rate of the reaction because it governs how quickly the reactants are converted into products. The rate-limiting step often involves the breaking of bonds in the reactant molecules or the formation of new bonds to create the products. Once the rate-limiting step is completed, the reaction can proceed to the next steps more rapidly. It is important to identify the rate-limiting step in a reaction to understand the factors that affect the reaction rate and to optimize reaction conditions for desired outcomes.